The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has raised alarm over the arrest of its Agona West Constituency Organiser, David Essandoh, by operatives believed to be from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
According to the party, Essandoh was arrested on Monday, May 11, 2026, around 6:30 PM while sitting by the roadside near his home in Agona Swedru with a friend.
Eyewitness accounts described how a black Land Cruiser first pulled up briefly before returning minutes later with a second vehicle.
An operative reportedly stepped out with a pistol and demanded Essandoh’s phone before he was taken away. His whereabouts remain unknown as of Tuesday afternoon.
The arrest is linked to a social media post by Essandoh featuring a picture of President John Dramani Mahama with the caption “Dumsor is back,” referencing the return of power outages across parts of the country.
NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B) condemned the incident, describing it as an attack on free speech and political harassment of opposition voices. He questioned whether criticising the power situation now constitutes a crime.
“Is the increasing political intolerance and the reduction of the CID and BNI to tools for harassing political opponents what you promised? Are you not aware that free speech in a democracy includes speech, art, caricatures, satire, and all forms of expression?” he questioned.
“We are hereby serving notice that, if arresting NPP officers who speak freely is your master plan to silence opposition and divert attention from the present woes of Ghanaians, then be prepared for a massive demonstration in protest because we shall equally resist this oppressive rule,” the national organiser added.
Meanwhile, NPP General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua has issued a demand for Essandoh’s immediate release.
“We will not rest until David Essandoh is found. We will not rest until those responsible answer for their actions. Bring back David Essandoh. Bring him back now…!” he wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
The party has described the development as part of a pattern of intimidation and vowed to resist any attempts to silence dissenting voices. It has also called on the government to respect democratic freedoms, including the right to express concerns over national issues such as electricity supply.
